Woodland combined with grassland and heathland

Heathland is a beautiful addition to your woodland, it introduces a new texture and style while being valuable to wildlife. 

Heathland is characterized by plants such as heather, dwarf gorses and some areas of scattered trees. If you’re a wildlife lover then heathlands are the perfect place to relax. Heathlands support numerous species, the most common being invertebrates such as silver-studded blue butterflies, the raft spider as well as deer and the nightjar. 

Your heathland can be enjoyed all year round: spring is filled with birdsong, late summer is the perfect time to admire expanses of beautiful purple heather as well as wonderful butterflies and other insects and winter can be a quiet time to enjoy your heathland. 

There are many types of grassland, it is generally divided into upland (above about 300m) and lowland types. This is because the cooler, wetter climate of upland areas favours different species to the warmer, drier and less exposed lowlands. Both types may also be classified as: calcareous which is found on shallow lime-rich soils, acidic which is found on sands, gravels and siliceous rocks and neutral which is found on clay and loam soils.

Open spaces are fundamental to encouraging a variety of wildlife. 

Small plots of wildflower planting can change the atmosphere of a setting, creating a wildflower meadow would enrich your woodland with colour throughout the seasons. 

Also, combined habitats create plant diversity which attracts insects (including butterflies and bees), arthropods (from spiders to millipedes), birds and mammals. To increase biodiversity, tall grasslands tend to include nectar-rich plants inviting hoverflies, butterflies, moths and bees, while short grasslands attract birds and invertebrates. 

Wildflower meadows are attractive to young children, they encourage imagination and outdoor play while being educational about wild habitats. 

Another benefit of tall grasslands and wildflower plots is that they require reduced-intensity management, meaning they are easier to maintain.